Every year, 25 recordings are added to the LOC’s National Recording registry, recordings that are considered “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” The purpose of this blog is not to list all 25 of them, but to highlight those where the song is part of the NLS Music collection. Most of these items may be downloaded from BARD. Keep reading, you may find some surprises, as I did.
Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow Judy Garland’s 1939 recording reminds me of family gathered around the television to enjoy “The Wizard of Oz.” In braille there is Popular Music Lead Sheets No. 34, BRM29295; a George Shearing arrangement in “The Giants of Jazz Piano”, BRM35937, volume 2; a version for B-flat cornet in “Our School Band Book”, BRM17941; plus “Popular Songs of Inspiration for Flute”, BRM34561; A version for B-flat clarinet and piano is at BRM21194.
Large-print readers will find the song in “Through the Years, Golden Standards”, ed. By Carol Cuellar, LPM621. And in “Standards and Showtunes, Book One”, by Dick Fieldhouse, LPM779.
In audio format, Bill Brown can teach you to play it by ear: On Alto sax, DBM02728; fingerstyle guitar, DBM03472; regular guitar DBM02665; soft-rock guitar (Eva Cassidy cover), DBM02809; piano, DBM02414.
American Pie
At first I just let myself enjoy the infectious beat of the music, but later I wrote to my favorite rock station, asking for their explanation of the lyrics (“When the jester sang for the king and queen in a coat he borrowed from James Dean”, etc.). RNIB’s transcription of the song is at BRM22298. The song is also included in “Great Songs of the 70s”, ed. By Milton Okun, BRM27690.
Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing
Two recordings of this great song were selected, one by Manhattan Harmony Four from 1923, along with a later version by Melba Moore. NLS patrons may borrow a large print version at LPM636 or a braille version at BRM29554.
I will have more songs in Part Two.